Automatic valve



Sept. 26, 1939. T. KRAMER 2,174,057

' AUTOMATIC. VALVE Filed Jan. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ttorneys Sept.26, 1939. T. KRAMER AUTOMATIC VALVE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1939v Inventor THEODURE KRAMER.

A torneys Patented Sept. 2,6, 1939V UNITED STATES PATENTA OFFICEAUTOMATIC VALVE Theodore Kramer, Oklahoma City, kla.

Application' January 18,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements inautomatic valves particularly for controlling the ow of gas to burnersbut it will be understood, of course, that a valve con-' structed inaccordance with the present invention may be used for any other purposefor which it may be found adapted and desirable.

The primary object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a valve of the character described comprising anovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through themedium of which said valve may be caused to automatically open at anypredetermined time.

Another very important object ofthe invention is to provide, in 4amanner as hereinafter set forth, an automatic valve which is adapted tobe opened by a conventional alarm clock.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an automatic timecontrolled valve which Will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, highly emcient and reliable in use, compactt and whichmay be manufactured at low cos y All of the foregoing and still furtherlobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from astudy of the following specication, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawingsv wherein like characters of4 reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view ln front elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevationthereoi'. p

Figure 3 isy a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation of the device.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken sub-V stantially on theline 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on theline 6-6 of Fig. 4..

' Figure 7 is a detail view in vertical section,

taken substantially on the line 'I-l of Fig. 1.-

45 Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustratedfcomprises ahousingA of suitable metal which is designated generally by thereference numeral I. 'I'he housing I is 50 provided with a front plate 2which is removably secured in position by screws 3. The front plate 2 ofthe housing I has formed therein an opening 4oi substantially theshapeshown to advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

55 Removably mounted on the top I of'the'hcul- 1939, ,Serial No. 251,605

ing I is a conventional alarm clock 6. The reierence numeral ldesignates the usual winding handle for the alarm "of the clock I. Thesupports 8 of the clock 6 are slidably engageable beneath retainingilanges 9 which are provided 6 therefor on theftop 5 of the housing I.

Mounted in the housing vI is a valvewhich is designated generally by thereference numeral xIII. The valve I0 includes a casing II which issecured to the bottom I 2 of the housing I through 10 the medium ofscrews I3. The casing II is provided withan intake I4 andan outlet I5which project through openings provided therefor in the side walls I 6of the housing I. It may be well to here state that the valve I0 isinterposed in 15 the gas line to the burner. y

The valve I0 further comprises a tapered plug Il which is rotatablymounted in the casing II, said plug having extending therethrough a port'I8 for establishing communication between the 20 intake I4 and theoutlet I5. Projecting from the large end of the tapered plug II is astem I9 having iixed thereon a manually operable handle 20. Formedintegrally with the inner end portion of the handle 20 is an arm 2iwhich extends 25 through the upper portion of the opening 4 in the frontplate 2 into the housing I to a point adjacent the rear wall 22 of saidhousing. This is shown to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A

nipple 23 is provided on theintake side of the 30 valve I0 forconnecting a pilot light tube thereto.

A valve 24 is provided in the nipple 23 for controlling the flow of gasthrough the pilot tube.

Projecting from the small inner end f the plug Il is a threaded,longitudinally grooved shank 25. 85 slidably mounted on theshank 25 andengaged with the inner or yrear wall of the casing II is a washer 26.Threaded on the shank 25 is a nut 2l in the form of a' ring. A coilspring 28 encircles the shank 25 and has one end engaged 40 with thewasher 26 and its other end engaged with the nut 2l for seating the plugIl in a manner to prevent leakage. y

Also slidably mounted on the shank 25 is a metallic ring 29 whichconstitutes means for con- 45 necting the inner end of a coil spring 30to the plug II for rotating said plug to open position. The ring 29 isretained on the shank 25 through ythe medium of an annular nut 3| whichis thread-v ed on said shank. As shown to advantage in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, the ring 29 is provided with a lug 32 on its inner surfacewhich is engaged in the aforementioned longitudinal groova is providedtherefor in the shank 25. This groove is indicated in dotted lines in 3of the draw- 55 portion of the trigger previously set in the gether withthe alarm ings. The connecting ring 23 further includes a lug 33 on itsperiphery which is engaged in an opening which is provided therefor inthe inner end portion of the coil spring 30. The outer end of the coilspring 38 isanchored to apin 36 which is mounted on the rear wall 22 oithe housing I.

Mounted beneath the top 5 of the housing I is a bracket 35. Journalledat an intermediate point on the bracket 35 is a trigger 36 one end o!which is engageable with the inner end portion of the arm 2l icrsecuring the valve plug I1 in closed position against the spring 30. Aspring portion of the trigger 36 for yieldingly urging said triggertoward operative position. Journalled in the housing I adjacent theother end of the trigger 36 is a lever 38. The lever 38 extends upwardlyfrom the housing I adjacent the rear oi the clock 6, the upper endportion oi said lever being in the path of the alarm winding handle 1 ofsaid clock.. housing I accommodates the lever 38. Struck from the lowerend portion of the lever 38- is -a lug 40 which is engageable with theadjacent end necting said lever to said trigger.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the foregoing. Through the medium oi. the han-`dle 20, the plug I1 is rotated-to closed position against the tensionoi the coll spring 30, thus shutting oil the ow of gas to the burnerexcept through the pilot tube. The plug I1 is secured in closed positionby engagement of the trigger 36 with the arm 2i, as suggested in brokenlines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When the alarm oi the clock 6 goes ofithe rotating handle 1 engages and actuates the lever 38 which, in turn,actuates the trigger 36 against the tension of the'spring 31 therebyreleasing the arm 2| and permitting the spring 30 to rotate the valveplug I1 to open position. Gas may then flow through the valve to theburner where it is ignited by the continuously burning pilot light (notshown). Oi course, the usual control valve on the burner has beendesired open position., The lever 38 engages one end of the slot 38 and,towinding handle 1, is arrested fthereby. It will thus be\seen that avalve tension oi the coil' 31 is engaged with this end A slot 33 in thetop 5 of the 36 for operatively lcon- `winding handle has been providedwhich, through the medium o! a conventional alarm clock, may be causedto open at any predetermined time.

It is believed that the .many advantages of an automatic valveconstructed in accordance. with the present invention will be readilyunderstood and although a preferred embodiment of the dey 1vice is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails o! construction and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

` 1;. A device o! the class described comprising a housing. means forsecuring an alarm clock on said housing, a valve mounted in the housingiand including a. casing adapted to be interposed in a conduit, a portedplug rotatably mounted in the casing for controlling the conduit, ashank on one end oi the plug, a spring operatively connectedv to saidshank for rotating the plug to open position, an arm fixed on the otherend `of the plug, a trigger pivotally mounted in the housing, one end ofsaid trigger being engageable with the arm for releasably securing theplus in closed position against the tension oi the spring, and a leverpivotally mounted in the housing and extending upwardly therefrom in thepath of the of the alarm of the clock for engagement and actuationthereby, said leverbeing operatively connected to the other end portionof the trigger for actuating same for releasing the arm.

2. A device of the class described comprising a `valve including acasing, a ported plug rotatably mounted in said casing, athreaded shankon one end o1 the plug having a longitudinal groove therein, a ringmounted on said shank and including a lug on its inner surface engagedin 'the groove, another lug on the periphery oi said ring, a retainingnut for the ring threaded on the shank, a coil spring encircling theshank and having one end anchored to a support, the other epd portion ofsaid coil spring having an opening therein for the reception of the`second named lug for operatively connecting the coil spring to the plugior rotating said plug to open position,

and means for releasably securing the plug in closed position. 1 v

THEODORE KRAMER.

